Starbase Republic: Bad Moon Rising
by RomulanFox
Summary: A tale set during the Second Dominion War...DISCLAIMER: Only a few of the characters are my own. The rest are borrowed from Paramount and various RPG sites.
1. Chapter 1

Reports covered T'Lessa's desk; a few of the PADDs lay on the very edge, about to topple off. She made no effort to hide her annoyance. She'd only been off duty for a week (_Short medical leave_, she mused), and it would take her at least three to catch back up on the paperwork. Frustrated, T'Lessa set down the report she was reading and got up, ignoring the PADDs that dove off of the desk. She limped over to the window and gazed out at the _Dauntless_. Repair crews had been working on the ship at all hours for an entire week, but she was in bad shape.

The door slid open behind her, and T'Lessa allowed herself the tiniest of smiles. She couldn't see her visitor, but only one had the privilege of entering without asking permission. "Somel."

Somel picked up the PADDs and placed them back on the desk before joining her at the window. He gave her a light kiss. "Aren't you supposed to be 'taking it easy'?"

"I'm not doing anything strenuous." She knew what he really meant; she was, after all, still in pain after _Dauntless_'s last encounter with the Dominion.

"You know what I mean, T'Lessa. You shouldn't be standing; look how much you're leaning against the bulkhead. Despite the windows into Ops and both of them in uniform, Somel wrapped his arms around her.

With a gentle sigh, T'Lessa shifted her weight so that he supported her rather than the bulkhead. "You noticed from Ops?"

"I'm your Chief Science Officer, Captain. I noticed everything. Now quit staring at the _Dauntless_ and sit down." He pushed her gently toward the desk. "I don't know why they put you back on duty when half the officers you took on that patrol are still in sickbay."

"I didn't, and still don't, understand Doctor Niana's decision either." T'Lessa let Somel ease her into the chair. "I didn't ask to get out this time."

Somel shrugged. "You're the captain. Maybe--"

T'Lessa's combadge chirped. She rolled her eyes as she tapped it. "T'Lessa. Go ahead."

_"Captain, you have a priority one message from Admiral Ross."_

"The CNC?" Somel whispered in surprise.

T'Lessa nodded at him, confused herself. "Channel it to the ready room. Out."

Seconds later the comm screen on the desk came to life, asking for T'Lessa's clearance code. Since Somel knew the code already, she didn't hesitate. "T'Lessa. Alpha-One-Bravo-Tango."

Knowing the code signified a secure call, Somel got up and exited quickly. Just as the door slid shut behind him, the comm unit flashed the Starfleet Command symbol and faded to Admiral Ross.

Aware of her slightly unprofessional appearance, T'Lessa brushed a stubborn lock of ragged hair out of her eyes, which unfortunately revealed the angry green scar above her right eye. She knew what she looked like and what the admiral was likely to think.

_"Gracious, T'Lessa. What in the hell happened to you?"_

T'Lessa winced slightly. "Does it really look that bad, sir?"

_Damn right it does, Captain._ Ross shook his head. _"You look worse than you did when_ Interceptor _limped into Earth orbit for the last time."_

T'Lessa shrugged. "We surprised the Dominion while on border patrol. We're lucky _Dauntless_ made it back."

Ross nodded. _"I saw the report, but it didn't cover the casualties. That's what I'm calling about; Sagat refused to tell me."_

T'Lessa's emotional screen slipped aside. "I have a lot of officers in sickbay. We've lost some of them...we had even before we got back to _Starbase Republic_."

_"What about you? Are you all right?"_

"Fine, sir. Or I will be."

_"You're sure?"_

"Positive." T'Lessa paused, suddenly suspicious. "Sir..."

_"And_ Dauntless_? Will she be sound?"_

"She's a sturdy ship; Hornets usually are. What's going on, Admiral?"

_"The Cerva,"_ Ross answered grimly. _"They've joined the Dominion._

T'Lessa paled slightly. "The Cerva? Are you absolutely certain, sir?"

_"I'm afraid so, Captain. I hope your people are ready because there's no doubt_ Republic _is high on their list."_

"They soon will be. Is there anything else?"

Ross shook his head. _"Good luck, Captain. Ross out."_

The tiny screen went black, and T'Lessa exhaled slowly, leaning back into her chair. After a long pause, she tapped her badge. "Senior staff to the briefing room!"

She watched through the window as her staff called in their replacements and headed for the briefing room. Somel lingered just outside her door. She shook her head as she exited the office, sidestepping him as he reached to touch her. "Now's not the time, Somel."

Somel nodded and entered the briefing room. T'Lessa entered a few steps behind him and waved her crew back into their seats as they started to rise. "Carry one." She sat down at the head of the table, her hands folded. "It seems we have a problem."

Subcommander Sagat mirrored her position almost exactly, his Vulcan heritage at work despite the Romulan uniform he wore. "A serious one, it would seem."

T'Lessa nodded. "Lieutenant Commander Shaw. _Dauntless_?"

Leya shrugged. "The repair teams are doing their best, Captain, but it's a tough call."

"Keep me updated. Doctor Niana, the crew."

Zasora smiled grimly. "All recovering relatively well, most ready for duty." She eyed T'Lessa warily. "You're pale, Captain."

T'Lessa hushed her, whispering, "Later."

The Orion doctor nodded silently.

Somel leaned forward slightly. "Captain, if I may ask..."

_So formal in meetings..._ "You may." T'Lessa found it worked better if her crew asked rather than having her tell them everything at once.

"What happened? You're tense."

T'Lessa inhaled deeply. "The Cerva who opposed the rebellion have joined another faction." She paused to let the idea hit. "The Dominion."

Gasps of surprise and short protests filled the briefing room. Sagat rose, his intent clear, and the room fell silent. He smiled briefly as he returned to his seat, nodding for T'Lessa to continue.

"I know we didn't expect this, but we should have. The Dominion saw an advantage and took it." T'Lessa looked around the table.

"They'll attack the station," Lieutenant Toran whispered, the bright blue of her complexion paling as her antennae twitched. "The Cerva will take us while the rest go after another target."

"Actually." T'Lessa slid a PADD to her Chief Intelligence Officer. "Take a good look at that, Lieutenant. I took it from the external sensors aboard _Dauntless_."

Toran looked it over, intrigue and dismay evident at once. "Two Jem'Hadar cruisers, three Cerva battlecruisers...a joint force. How did you miss that? Who was on Intelligence for this patrol?"

"Palmer," T'Lessa answered quietly. "He's one of the few who are still critical, first officer down. Cartwright lost the science sensors after the first hit, though she's unhurt."

"What about tactical?"

"Telerev," Zasora cut in. "Also, still critical."

T'Lessa leaned toward her crew, her hands resting on the table. "So now you know why _Dauntless_ is so badly damaged. The Cerva know Hornet class starships well; it's all we've had assigned here. I'm going to discuss our findings with Admiral Ross, who undoubtedly will send us a second ship the Cerva are less familiar with."

Somel's brow furrowed. "How can you be certain, Captain?"

"Because," T'Lessa began, the mischief that set her apart from her husband sparkling in her eyes. "He's already officered."

Murmurs of assent filled the room despite the gloomy atmosphere.

T'Lessa rose slowly, her officers following suit. "You all have your duties. Dismissed."

They filed out silently, ready to tackle the problem before them.


	2. Chapter 2

"You can't be serious." Somel's voice was flat despite the concern in his eyes.

"I am _quite_ serious, Somel. I am taking _Dauntless_; Subcommander Sagat will be aboard the _April_. This operation may be essential to--"

Somel silenced his wife with a sharp glare. "Does Doctor Niana know about this, T'Lessa?"

T'Lessa regarded him coolly, her yes glittering. "Of course she does. She is going with me."

Somel sighed as he realized that T'Lessa had outsmarted him...again. "Promise me you'll be careful. The last patrol turned deadly when you least expected it."

T'Lessa struggled to hide her frustration. Somel was always so overprotective, often to a fault. "This is only a reconnaissance operation, Somel. Both ships have functioning cloaking devices; we won't be seen." She paused, believing she saw a way to end the discussion. "You will accompany Subcommander Sagat on the _April_; we will be able to ensure each other's safety."

Somel bowed his head, acknowledging the compromise. "So it shall be, _t'hai'la_." _At least I will not be worried from afar._

T'Lessa shook her head at him. "I heard that. Shield your thoughts better, Somel," she scolded gently. She knew, of course, that he had meant for her to hear it, and she was grateful for his concern. "I know you're worried, but _Dauntless_ will be cloaked and behind the _April_. The Dominion, and the Cerva, will not know either ship is there." Mischief sparkled in her eyes as the next thought formed behind them. "The Romulan High Council has also offered us a ship, but I'll tell you about that in the briefing, which takes place in twenty minutes."

Somel looked at her with renewed admiration. The woman to whom he was bonded could be so..._devious_, as though she were part Romulan. He supposed it came from her long service and participating in multiple conflicts...

T'Lessa watched him in amusement, then tapped his shoulder. "Somel, the briefing. You thoughts are wandering."

Somel shook himself from his musings. "Yes, of course. Shall we go now?"

T'Lessa nodded, and as they left their cabin for the briefing room, she found the presence of mind to remind her crew about her briefing. She tapped her combadge as they entered a nearby turbolift. "Senior staff to the briefing room. Briefing proceeds in fifteen minutes." The link terminated as she released the pressure on the badge.

Neither Vulcan spoke as the turbolift surged toward ops, but they had no need to. Though restrained while they were on duty, their love and support for one another was still clear. The silence continued as the lift stopped and the pair walked out into main ops, their steps in sync. T'Lessa acknowledged the junior officers holding positions as they crossed to the briefing room.

T'Lessa entered the briefing room with Somel at her side. "Carry on," she called as she crossed the threshold, giving the officers present no time to rise. She indicated that Somel should take his seat as she stood at the head of the table.

T'Lessa's staff watched her, admiration and loyalty shining in their eyes. Their captain seemed so much stronger than she had only a few short days before; they could detect no limp or weakness. The only flaw they could see was the now muted green scar above her eye, which her again short-cropped hair mercilessly revealed.

T'Lessa returned their admiring gaze for a few moments, knowing her crew would do anything she asked. "Last time we gathered, it was to discuss a development in the war that put Starfleet at a disadvantage," she said quietly. Her low voice commanded attention that even a shout could not muster. "Now we meet to discuss strategy." She looked at each officer in turn, waiting for one to ask the question they all longed to hear answered.

"Strategy for what, Captain?" Leya and Patrick Shaw asked in unison. Each glared at the other in false anger as the senior staff dissolved into giggles.

A gleam of amusement in her eyes, T'Lessa waited for the lighthearted laughter to die down. In a less perilous time, she might have hushed them, but with circumstances as dark as they were she allowed her crew mirth wherever they could find it. When the room had again quieted, T'Lessa nodded once. "Precisely the question I wished to hear." She moved quickly to the viewscreen on the bulkhead, her former grace restored by the healing trance she'd undergone only days before. She touched a series of keys, and the room dimmed as the viewscreen powered up with a visual of an Akira class starship.

"That's the _Robert April_." Toran was the first to identify the ship. "She just arrived this morning with one Lieutenant Commander Arrez in command. Said he was supposed to help us, but he couldn't say with what."

"Correct." Another tap on the keypad brought a well-known Hornet class ship coasting in alongside the _April_.

"_Dauntless_." A handful of officers spoke at once and looked around in surprise.

Slightly amused, T'Lessa nodded as the image on the viewer held steady on the two ships. "Yes, the _April_ and the _Dauntless_. Starfleet Command has in store for us a mission that may finally give us an advantage in this war. These two ships--" T'Lessa indicated the screen. "--will infilitrate Cerva space under cloak." To illustrate her point, the ships shimmered and vanished. "And conduct reconnaissance operations. The mission is not without risks, but Command believes those risks to be trivial compared to wahat may be at stake, and that is the lives of every member of the Federation." T'Lessa halted her briefing, knowing her observant crew would pick up on the next layer of the plan.

Sagat had been studying her with a mixture of Romulan and Vulcan disciplines. He unfolded his hands and lay them flat on the table. "There is another element, Captain. Something you haven't told us yet." He paused slightly, glancing around the room. "I am certain everyone would like to hear it."

In response, T'Lessa manipulated the keypad, revealing the two previously mentioned starships as their companion glided in. Grace and danger emanated from the Valdore class Warbird, strikingly similar to one the crew had known several years ago.

Gasps of recognition filled the room as the Warbird's most notorious flaw, a swath of paint scraped away on its port hull, rotated into view.

"_Bloodwing_!?"

T'Lessa didn't know whichof her officers had spoken the ship's name, but she nodded. "Yes, our old friend _Bloodwing_. Many of you remember her and, I'm sure, her infamous commander." The image faded to one the crew knew well, a female Romulan commander.

"If I remember correctly, t'Dharvanek was demoted to _erei'riov_ several years ago." Sagat paused to consider the new development. "Unless the Council has declared an emergency and granted her promotion. Again."

Ever curious, Toran cut into the conversation. "But would they do that? They never seemed to like her much."

"They would." Despite the confirmation, an edge of uncertainly colored Sagat's voice.

"They have." T'Lessa again held every officer's attention with that simple statement. "Two days after our last incident with the Dominion, the Council re-promoted t'Dharvanek and recommissioned _Bloodwing_. She will join us on this endeavour." She glanced around the room, looking at each officer in turn. "Questions?"

No one spoke, their confidence in their captain leaving them no reason to question her strategy.

"Very well. Dismissed."

Somel hung back as the rest of the staff filed out. He touched T'Lessa's arm lightly to get her attention. "I thought you didn't like t'Dharvanek."

"I do not 'like' her, but I respect her and what I've seen her do. That is the sole reason I invited her."

Somel blinked, hiding his suprise as best he could. _Surprises around every turn_.


	3. Chapter 3

_Dauntless_ crept into Cerva space under cloak and hidden behind _Bloodwing_ and the _April_ as an additional measure. Leya hadn't been sure that the cloaking device had been sufficiently repaired to keep them hidden, and she'd insisted on both the slow pace and the additional masking from the other two ships.

T'Lessa sighed ever so slightly. The tension on the bridge was almost palpable, and try as she might it was getting to her. _Perhaps I hit my head harder than I thought._ Almost without realizing what she was doing, she was out of her chair and pacing the bridge.

"Captain." Toran's voice was quiet, just barely loud enough for T'Lessa to hear as she passed by.

T'Lessa stopped, glancing over at her inquisitively.

"_Sit down_," Toran hissed, her antennae twitching. "You're making everyone nervous."

T'Lessa responded to the exaggeration with a raised eyebrow. "I rather think everyone is nervous because of the circumstances of our mission, Lieutenant. Though I suppose if it would make you personally less agitated..."

Toran's normally pale blue skin flushed several shades darker as she dropped her eyes back to her station. "Sorry, ma'am." Very quietly, she took up the task of making sure no Cerva ships had seen them.

Without responding, T'Lessa returned to center of the bridge, feeling as though she were a coiled spring with no hope of release. They'd found nothing. Nothing to indicate the Dominion's plans. Nothing to show where their next target would be. And no ships in the area. It hardly seemed fair to go through such trouble to find nothing.

Just as T'Lessa returned to her chair, the proximity alarms shrieked. "Contact starboard!" Lieutenant Reeves cried from tactical, already bringing the weapons online. His fingers danced across the console. "Three Cerva battlecruisers, two Jem'Hadar scout ships. They haven't seen us....yet."

"Let's keep it that way, Mister Reeves." T'Lessa's face was set in stone despite the rising tension. "Toran."

"They're..." Toran paused, her antennae quivering. "..._really_ heavily armed. Even with _Bloodwing_, I think we're outmatched." A light on her console flashed as the computer beeped at her. "Speak of the devil."

"Put her through." T'Lessa turned her gaze to the viewscreen as it flickered on. "Commander, what can we--?"

_"Your cloak is failing!"_ Shiarrael cut her off. _"Get it back before they see you!"_

"What?" T'Lessa looked from the Romulan Commander to Reeves and back. "We haven't noticed a mal--"

Reeves looked up in shock. "Captain, she's right. We're about to lose our cloak entirely."

Wide-eyed, T'Lessa tapped her combadge. "T'Lessa to engineering. Commander Shaw!"

_"I know! We're working on it!"_ Leya sounded harried and panicky. _"We don't know what's causing it, so give us a min--"_

"Commander, we don't have a minute. There are five Dominion ships off our starboard bow, and if you don't get the cloaking device fixed..."

"It's too late." Reeves' voice was deadly calm, as only a threat of impending doom could be. "They've seen us."


	4. Chapter 4

Before T'Lessa could tell Reeves to signal red alert, the lead Cerva ship fired on the _Dauntless_, causing the Hornet class starship to pitch and buck. "Shields up! Return fire!" On the screen she watched _Bloodwing_ ripple into view and make what would be, for other commanders, a suicide run. A moment later the _Robert April_ followed suit.

"Ma'am, _Bloodwing_ is asking us to coordinate with their attack," Reeves said quickly. "Commander t'Dar – t'Dar – the Romulan commander says she can get us out in one piece."

"Do it, Lieutenant. Follow Commander t'Dharvanek's lead."

"Aye, Captain."

A moment later the _Dauntless_ dove after _Bloodwing_ and the _Robert April_, phasers and torpedoes biting into the Cerva ships. Five Dominion ships and only three Alliance ships were poor odds, but _Bloodwing_ and the _Dauntless_ were, technically, warships. So there was a chance, however small, that they would actually emerge victorious.

T'Lessa, however, was only concerned with surviving the encounter, and she sincerely hoped that was the plan Shiarrael had in mind. The Romulan commander was exceedingly unpredictable. As Lieutenant Reeves and Flight Lieutenant Shaw worked to maneuver and defend the ship, T'Lessa reopened her channel to Engineering. "Commander Shaw, status on the cloaking device?"

"_It's not coming back online, Captain. We need to overhaul it, and there's no time!"_

"Understood. Bridge, out." T'Lessa looked over at Toran. "Make sure Shiarrael knows we need to make a run for _Starbase Republic_ sooner rather than later, Miss Toran."

"Of course, Captain." Barely a minute after Toran sent the message, her computer console beeped at her. As she read the message, she shook her head. "Not going to happen, ma'am. _Bloodwing_ has lost her warp drive. The _April_ is withdrawing, too much damage for her shields."

"Damn." T'Lessa didn't swear often, but she felt this situation merited it. Nonetheless, she got several amused looks from her crew. She ignored them.

_T'Lessa._ She could feel Somel prodding at her, but she only opened up slightly. _We have to withdraw. We're outmatched._

_We can't, Somel. _Bloodwing_ is damaged._ T'Lessa considered their options, none of which were favorable. She couldn't leave _Bloodwing_ alone to fight off five ships, but she couldn't expect to win the fight either. "Other ships in the area?"

Toran pulled up a list on her console. "The closest is the _Zephyr_." She shook her head. "They won't be any help; the _Zephyr_ is a Nebula class, and she's not carrying her weapons pod. The _Achilles_ is en route, but they may not make it in time." She looked up with a thoughtful expression on her face. "I may be able to get a signal to the _Andromeda_. She has an experimental slip stream drive and could be here in fifteen minutes. Maybe less."

"Can't hurt to try. Do it."

As Toran was trying to hail the _Andromeda_, one of the Cerva cruisers scored a lucky hit on the _Dauntless_' underbelly. The _Dauntless_ reared, consoles all around the bridge sparking wildly. "We've lost long distance communications!" Toran yelled over the noise of the alarms and crackling systems. "Sporadic local communications only!"

"_Engineering to bridge! We're losing the warp drive; we have to get out of here!"_

"We're closer to Romulan space than _Starbase Republic_. Break for Romulus. Signal _Bloodwing _and the _April_ to follow."

Danielle Toran and Patrick Shaw both nodded, and a moment later the three ships, _Bloodwing_ inside the _April_'s warp bubble, streaked out of Cerva space. As soon as they were safely inside Romulan territory, they dropped to impulse speeds.

"_Bloodwing_ is hailing," Toran said quietly. "Probably not good news."

"I don't imagine that it is. Put her through."

The visual came in fuzzy and the sound quality was even worse. It took Toran several long seconds to clean it up to where anything was intelligible at all. Shiarrael seemed to be waiting patiently until T'Lessa nodded for her to go ahead.

"_I hope you got what you needed, Captain, because we need to head to _ch'Rihan_ for repairs. We won't make it to _Starbase Republic._ Not without a functional warp drive."_

"The plan was to prove they're getting ready for a true invasion, and we've done that. Thank you for your help, Shiarrael."

"_You're welcome. One day, I'll ask_ you_ for a favor._ Bloodwing_, out."_

As _Bloodwing_ limped away, the _Dauntless_ and the _Robert April_ made a slow turn and started the journey back to _Starbase Republic_, taking the longest possible path to avoid entering Cerva space again.


End file.
